Los Angeles, CA

GO HERE: for a break from all the sushi. Shibumi is the culmination of Angeleno chef David Schlosser’s decade-plus dedication to mastering kappo- and kaiseki-style Japanese cooking. What does that mean? Your choice of an à la carte or tasting menu featuring deeply flavorful vegetables, fish, and meats, the likes of which you’ve probably never seen outside Japan.

THE BEST SEATS: are at the cypress bar, which stretches the length of the long, narrow storefront. From here, you can watch Schlosser intently at work behind the counter.

THE VIBE IS: dark, austere, moody, beautiful, in a larger space than you might imagine…it’s a gently glowing beacon on a grim block of downtown. It could be (and is) a date place, but it could also be a solo place where you come to silently eat and pray to the god of fresh wasabi.

GETTING IN: isn’t impossible given the hype Shibumi has sustained since opening. Still, make a reservation.